On the Porch

Interior designer Sandy Sutton, allied ASID, of Sandy Sutton’s Interior Spaces in Hot Springs was a longtime fan of the menu at Back Porch Grill, located inside the Sun Bay Resort on Lake Hamilton, if not the décor. When owners Charles Jennings and Kevin Mosley, who were familiar with her design work at other prominent Hot Springs restaurants like Chef Paul’s and Fisherman’s Wharf, approached her about a planned renovation, she jumped at the chance.

Because of Kevin’s and Charles’ tight schedule, they decided to forego structural changes, focusing instead on completely reinventing the atmosphere of the restaurant and bar, as well as the lounge upstairs. The space, with its amazing lake views and spacious screened porch for dining, was surprisingly dark inside with rustic red walls treated with a brown faux finish, dull carpet and black vinyl tablecloths. “Overall, the term that some people applied to the décor was dreary,” Sandy says.

Sandy’s main sources of inspiration were the settings: both Hot Springs in general and the restaurant’s plum spot on the lake, which allows boaters direct access to the restaurant’s dock. “Charles and Kevin told me that they’re two guys who love to cook and love the horses,” says Sandy, “and they trusted me to put that together in the best way possible.” They also wanted to cultivate a relaxed atmosphere, where customers could feel comfortable arriving by boat to enjoy top-quality cuisine. “They want guests to feel like they’re joining them at the grill on their back porch,” says Sandy.

Sandy began by lightening up the color palette with warm shades of brown and gold and inviting green walls—a color called Coastal Dusk. “Those perfect Lake Hamilton sunsets inspired my color selections,” she says. “I wanted softer, watery colors that relaxed the senses.” She chose a warm brown stain for the concrete floors and eschewed tablecloths in favor of rich wood. An Arkansas stone grill is the centerpiece of the dining room, where Charles cooks his amazing, hand-cut steaks to order. Artwork also plays an important role in the restaurant’s design, with a decidedly equestrian theme running throughout. “They had been given some fantastic racing artwork from their thoroughbred clientele, and it meant a lot to them,” says Sandy, and she added to that collection by commissioning original paintings by Michael Glomski.

In the adjacent bar, Sandy cranked up the glamour by adding animal-print carpeting in a pattern called Wildebeest, which creates a smooth segue to the enormous screened porch and lake beyond. Perhaps even more fun, however, is the upstairs lounge, which she outfitted with lipstick-red leather banquettes around the perimeter and an oversized wooden bar at the center. “The atmosphere upstairs is definitely uptown and exciting,” she says.

This clean-lined makeover has had an invigorating affect on Back Porch Grill’s owners, staff and guests, who continue to enjoy all the delights the menu has to offer. “The Back Porch Grill has always been the place to go for great food and fantastic service, and, of course, we love the view of the lake,” says patron Suzie Durbin. “Now that Sandy has added her special touch, Charles and Kevin have it made.”